Bilateral relations between Russia and the United States will not recover anytime soon. That’s the view of a senator at Moscow’s upper house of parliament who says that ties could deteriorate.

Konstantin Kosachev, the Head of International Affairs Committee of Federation Council, was presenting Russia’s reaction to a US bill proposing the tightening of individual sanctions against Russia.

“In such areas as cooperation in trade, economics, science and technology, as well as cooperation in major modern challenges, settling regional conflicts, fighting terrorism and other topics — we should, certainly, choose such countermeasures that, firstly, keep our own interests intact and secondly, such measures must be painful for Americans. They should not be just symbolic, not just “showing the flag.”

Before the bill becomes law it must be also passed by the Senate of the Congress and then signed by President Donald Trump.

On Tuesday, the US House of Representatives passed the bill toughening unilateral sanctions against Russia, Iran and North Korea.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov described the news as “rather sad” for the future of Russian-US relations.